I also saw Jay in the Marquesas last Thursday evening. He told me he was sailing to the Dry Tortugas for one day. I told him he could not sail back to KW and he said he would take the north route to Naples or FT. Meyers. His wooden trimaran "3/4 Time" will not sail into the wind. His EPIRB was attached to his bunk bulkhead.

Jay also told me there WAS a passenger on his trimaran. He was on the shore at the Marquesas and he was drunk. Jay was not drinking and is not a drunk. (Keys Disease)

The seas last night winds were from the North @ 20+ Knots.

It does not look good. Jay had no safetygear that I ever saw. No jack lines. No life raft. No ditch bag.

I am 100% certain that that other person on-board Jay's trimaran his dinghy is at Jay's mooring ball. THE DINGHY IS SUNK! I saw the dinghy sunk just before sunset and thought - this is a bad omen.

I will try and raise the dinghy tomorrow AM. Chances are there will not be a FL sticker, there is no engine on the overturned white dinghy. There could be a KW Harbor Dinghy Dock monthly sticker that could lead to identify the other passenger.

Perhaps KW law enforcement will take finger prints to try and determine the owners name.

the good news it that it's a tri - no ballast - and though it breaks up the parts should float. he just might be out there floating around waiting for rescue. the water is somewhat warm and there are a lot of coast guard stations in the vicinity - islamorada, marathon, key west, and up the floridawest coast to tampa.

I am 100% certain that that other person on-board Jay's trimaran his dinghy is at Jay's mooring ball. THE DINGHY IS SUNK! I saw the dinghy sunk just before sunset and thought - this is a bad omen.

I will try and raise the dinghy tomorrow AM. Chances are there will not be a FL sticker, there is no engine on the overturned white dinghy. There could be a KW Harbor Dinghy Dock monthly sticker that could lead to identify the other passenger.

Perhaps KW law enforcement will take finger prints to try and determine the owners name.

I'm not clear on this. Do you know this companion of his? Are you saying he was in the dinghy or that Jay didn't take the dinghy with him? It crossed my mind that maybe this companion had had too much to drink, fell in, and something happened while Jay was trying to save him ... it seems as if a boat that size could handle 20+ knots of wind. Might not be fun, might have to let the winds help choose your course, but it certainly sounds survivable.

In any case it's just heartbreaking to read about the search in real time like this. I can only wish the best for Cap's friend. I'd like to suggest that maybe we shouldn't joke about "missing boat" threads, as we have done here recently. We never know who is lurking, hoping to hear something, or who knows someone involved -- what do we have here, three people who know this sailor?

My daughters and close friends would be devastated and frantic if something happened to me at sea and they didn't know what was going on. I think I owe it to them to have an EPIRB. It's getting bumped up the list.

The Coast Guard informed me this evening his family has been notified.

Jay sailed with the passenger from KW. He saw my boat sail in around sunset to the Marquesas and got in his kayak and was invited to a fresh fish dinner. That was where he informed us about his passenger who he stated was drunk and was walking on the Marquesas beach. I thought the passenger was not being very smart since he was drunk and had to kayak back to Jay's boat at night, in strong current - that was anchored furthest away from the beach.

AFAIK, the CG didn't have his ex's contact info, as they asked me for it. His EPIRB had myself and the previous owner's names as emergency contacts.

I know Jay's boat well, and in spite of its nearly 40 years, it was in good enough condition to handle last nights weather.... Especially considering his course was down wind. The seas weren't big enough to pitch-pole him. He did tell me yesterday he was very tired from standing watch for two days up to Ft Myers.... Doesn't jive with reports of a second POB.

What does bother me is that I recently explained the process of heaving to, and he was proud to tell me yesterday that he used it to "cat-nap" the last two nights. If he were hove to and a squall line hit him while asleep......

Jay is a new sailor, when he bought the boat a year ago, he knew nothing; he has however soaked it up like a sponge... Recently even won the KW Wreckers' race for his class

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__________________Any fool with a big enough checkbook can BUY a boat; it takes a SPECIAL type of fool to build his own! -Capngeo